Join me at Agape on Saturday, May 8, 2021 to be the first to hear me read “Goodnight Covington.” Pre-orders will be available for pickup and we will have copies available for purchase.
I can’t wait to see you there! I’d love it if you’d help me spread the word. 🌛🌟💙
Good Morning and Happy Spring!
Fifty-one books will be delivered to classrooms and libraries in Tipton County when “Goodnight Covington” is released in May thanks to blog readers like you! I have loved working with my community to make good news!
I’m super excited about that and about releasing the book!
Why It Matters That You Pre-Order
Today’s the last day to preorder my new book. Thanks to all of you who preordered. It helps me to determine how much inventory to order to ensure there will be enough books available on release days in our local bookstore and my site. I’m trying to keep this one sold exclusively local to help our local retailers. Order Here.
I’ve learned so much this year as I’ve donned the hats of author, illustrator, graphic designer, agent, publisher, marketing guru, and book distributor.
It takes a lot to self publish, but it’s been something fun and happy to focus on.
Thank you again, to all of you who have ordered so far. If you’d like to join the crowd and ensure that your book is ready to ship on release day, order today. Love ya! 💛🌛🌟
There are 18 scenes from Covington in the book. Can you guess which ones? Name your favorite place or landmark in Covington and share a memory in the comments. ⬇️
I’ll start with the Ruffin. I remember seeing “Peter Pan” at the Ruffin when I was a little girl and being amazed!
The building was so charming and I would be mesmerized by the shapes and lights on the walls before the show started. It was fun to see my friends from school at the play and wave to them from across the aisle. Sweet memories. 💜 You share yours. Preorder here before 3/30 to ensure you get a signed copy on release day.
My friend Lori used to challenge me with the statement, you never know what will happen on the other side of “yes” when you give a “Yes!” to God.
My first “yes” during that season was to homeschool Jonah during his PreK year. I prayed so hard about this. I had a passion for early literacy and wanted to be the one to teach him to read.
Days after I made that decision, I was called to a meeting with my Pastor’s wife about her vision for a new program she wanted to start called “Arise to Read” that emphasized helping 2nd graders master their sight words by mobilizing volunteers from churches to assist. I knew right then I wanted to volunteer. “Yes!” Sign me up!
A couple of years later we had a community meeting about getting an Arise to Read program in our local elementary school. For a little bit I was discouraged because it didn’t look like we had the support to make it happen, but my home church FUMC stepped up and stepped in and Arise to Read made its way into CIAA.
For 2 years I volunteered alongside the kindest people to help the students with their reading. I got the biggest blessing meeting them and spending time with them each week. God used their sweet spirits to lead me in a new direction.
One year later I heard there was an opening for a teacher at our preschool. I jumped at the opportunity. By then, all of my kids were in school, I’d helped them with early literacy and I wanted to help more kids.
The “Yes snowball” kept rolling. I taught pre-k for 2 years and then the art teacher position opened up. I said “Yes” to an interview, then “Yes!” to the job and now I’m assured this will be my career…unless God asks of me another “Yes.”
The question I ask myself is would I have had the ability to write and illustrate books for kids if I didn’t first say “yes” to homeschooling which led to volunteering which led to teaching half days which led to teaching art to pre-k through high school which gave me the space in my day and creative spark to write again?
You never know what’s on the other side of “Yes!” Tonight I’ll be reading my book “Eclectic Emily” at 7:00 for Arise to Read on their Facebook page. I hope you’ll be able to join me!
You have blown me away with the “Goodnight Covington” books donated so far:
-1 to the libraries of CIAA, Crestview, TCA, Austin Peay
-1 to each K teacher at CIAA, TCA, Crestview, and Austin Peay
-1 to each Pre-K teacher at Crestview, CIAA, TCA, and Austin Peayto each Headstart teacher
1- to each Headstart teacher
-1 to CHS CDC
-1 to Munford Elementary
If you want to help me continue to donate books to local schools, you can find out more here. Our next goal is to supply individual students with books to take home through AR store or rewards programs.
My goal in writing “Goodnight Covington” was to bring the essence of Covington to the pages of a book that children and parents would be inspired to read. It’s the only book available about Covington for kids. If you love Covington, too, I’d love it if you’d help me get the word out about the book. You can purchase the book locally at Something Special, Persnickety, and Liberty Vintage Marketplace or order a signed copy here.
Goodnight Covington (Shipped)
Signed Hard Cover Copy
$20.00
Download a free coloring sheet here.
Whether you have small kids or not, if you love Covington, you’ve got to get this sweet book! Emily Cook, you’ve done an amazing job! Congratulations!
Chris Richardson
The copies I bought have been shared and the faces of delight when they received this precious book are a cherished memory for me. Thank you for following your heart
Lessie Fisher
I bought this book for my friend’s daughter for her birthday! I loved looking through it before I gave it to her. It is beautifully illustrated and has such a positive, encouraging message about embracing and cultivating your uniqueness and creativity. I was thrilled to see paper dolls and a glossary included, what a fun and also important gift!
Amazon Review
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This week Zach and I sat and reflected on Paige’s life in preparation of her eulogy. How do you summarize the incredible life of such an incredible and irreplaceable sister and friend? We did the only thing we knew how…went back to the beginning and retraced her footprints. I hope you’ll enjoy the read and be inspired by her life well-lived.
One thing I know to be true this week as that a life lived walking with Jesus will outlive you. Although her life here on earth is finished, the legacy she left behind will live on through all the lives she touched.
As I reflected over the past few days on what I would say to honor my sister, Paige, I randomly inquired of a few friends and family members as to “What things come to mind when you think about Paige?”
There were many common words that were used to describe her that were mentioned by most everyone. Beautiful, infectious smile, hard-working, genuine, gracious, forgiving, loving, excellent teacher and coach, fierce competitor, mentor, dependable/trustworthy, witty, faithful (led me to the LORD).
Some may think that my sister’s legacy will be for her prowess as a dominant softball player. Others may remember her most for proving that first love truly can last. Still others will hold her in their hearts as an inspiring teacher and mentor. And 2 boys in this room will always remember her as the one that loved them the most, their biggest supporter, and their hero. To her 9 nieces and nephews, she was “Aunt Paige” whom they all looked up to as a role model. Over the last 2 years, multitudes of people who may have never known my sister, got a glimpse of her persevering spirit in the face of adversity as she fought to win against this terrible disease.
Most people would attribute the start of my sister’s softball career to my dad, Charlie, but soon after she started playing as a 6 year old on her first organized team, she came to my mom, Joyce, and said “I want to pitch.” So, my mom began working with her as best she knew how and soon after she pitched her first game (in which my dad was not there because he was out farming), she dominated and from that point forward, she was dad’s!
My first memories of my sister are of she and my dad down behind our house in front of our barn, pitching and honing her craft. This almost daily routine continued throughout her Dixie Girls days until she became a Lady Charger playing for the great Coach Martha Lawler. Her longstanding softball career opened the door to many close lifelong friendships and sisterhood all along the way through college. Friends that continued to support her, and love her and our family, even through her illness.
When we weren’t playing baseball, JC and I lived with our family at the softball fields with too many memories to count, watching and supporting “9-ER” and traveling with our family in the Blue Mini-Van to watch her play. One of my fondest softball memories is traveling to Brunswick, Georgia with my family and the TN State Champs to watch her play in the Dixie Girls World Series.
The time we spent together as a family through all these fun times developed a bond that held us all together as a close-knit family throughout her illness and even to this day. Her faith in Christ was developed as we attended church together as a family, primarily at Calvary Baptist Church in Covington, where her Christian character was developed, and God molded her into the most loving daughter and sister you could ask for. Her faith in the LORD sustained her over the last 8 years of life without my dad, whom she dearly adored.
Later in her life, Calvary Baptist would be where she married her childhood sweetheart, Bradley. It’s rare in life to find true love in the 8 th grade, but my sister did. November 16, 1988 – Brad got his buddy Shane Coats to ask Paige to be his girlfriend while she was at the water fountain during cheer practice. Brad walked by, got embarrassed, and went into the gym for basketball practice. Shane ran in the gym to excitedly inform Brad that she said “Yes”, and the rest is history. I really can’t recall a time in my life growing up when Brad wasn’t around. Their love continued to grow and blossom.
Paige became a loving and cherished daughter to the Warmaths, and our two families grew into one united by Paige and Brad’s love. We all remember the day they were married, and it rained like crazy all day for an outside wedding. But even changing venues at the last minute and moving into the church couldn’t take away the joy and celebration of that day. Everyone there knew that day was special because of the 2 people that were committing to be together for their entire lives. Just a few years later, we were so excited to welcome Griffin Tyler into the world to be followed a few years after that by Holden Drew.
Their family too then continued mutual family traditions of building bonds and making lifelong memories and more friends and extended family through the boys’ baseball teams. They’ve been all over the country together as a family playing baseball in places like Cooperstown, NY where Brad coached the boys and Paige was their biggest cheerleader.
It culminated 2 years ago when amid a family crisis for both Brad and Paige, the family persevered and Paige was able to cheer Brad and Ty on to a TN State Baseball Championship! Prior to that, Paige displayed her true love and loyalty to Brad by never leaving his side when he had a medical emergency himself that almost took his life.
To us, it was heart wrenching to witness them being separated as she began her
own battle with Glioblastoma. Brad in turn proved his true love and loyalty to Paige by begging the doctors to let him leave the hospital to go check on his ill wife when he himself was in no shape to be leaving the care he was receiving.
Anyone who was at Methodist Central that day when the two were reunited in wheelchairs, will never forget the display and emotions of unconditional and enduring love during the darkest of days. Our favorite movies and novels pale in comparison to the unwavering love and commitment they showed. His overwhelming desire to take care of Paige was his motivation to get stronger every day and be there for Paige just like she had
been for him. If that’s not a true picture of God’s design for love and marriage, I don’t know what is!
It seems like Paige knew exactly what she wanted out of life from a very early age. That included becoming an educator, coach, and mentor. Mom said from a very early age she loved to play school and teach those around her, included my brother and me. That led her to pursue a secondary education degree at UT Martin followed by a 20-year teaching career at Covington High School. Her co-workers became like close friends and extended
family to her, and she earned the respect and trust that allowed her to inspire the next generation to pursue and achieve their dreams. She was active in leading and supporting more clubs and organizations than I can count at CHS, making a lasting mark on each one.
Paige saw God’s unique gifts and talents in her students and encouraged them to pursue interests and careers that utilized those gifts. One of her co-workers commented that
she was CHS and did everything with perfection. She gave selflessly of her time and talents and asked for very little in return, except for the occasional large coffee from McDonalds with 8 creams and 8 sugars!
Almost 2 years ago life threw Paige the nastiest “rise” ball she had ever faced when she was diagnosed with a dreadful brain tumor while she was at Brad’s side during his own health battle. She faced this battle as she has every challenge that has come her way – with bravery, perseverance, and determination to beat this formidable
foe. And she did so with grace and the love and devotion of our family (both literal and extended from all these facets of her life), friends, and our entire community at her side and behind her pushing her towards recovery.
The desire of her heart was to live to see her boys grow up and have families of their own and that fighting spirit drove her along the journey. From the start of her illness until Monday afternoon when she drew her last breath on earth, our precious servant-hearted mother, and Brad faithfully supported and cared for Paige. All along the journey,
God’s provision and faithfulness was evident, from the doctors and medical teams he led us to at West Clinic and Duke, to the overwhelming love and moral and financial support they received from our community.
It’s very easy for all of us to fall into despair and think that this is not the way Paige’s story was supposed to end. But in faith, we believe that this is not the end of her story. As the Apostle Paul stated in the book of 1 Corinthians, Chapter 15, “For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory. O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?”” “The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (V53-57).
Paige is the ultimate winner because she put her faith and trust in Jesus Christ as LORD and Savior and was ushered into His glorious presence in eternity surrounded by our family and a great cloud of witnesses. What I take away from Paige and her life well lived is exactly what you saw in her – a true team player and leader who loved big, inspired many, possessed great faith in her LORD and her family, was loyal and persevered to the very end, and did everything she set out to accomplish with excellence. She was the best big sister a guy could ask for, and I cannot wait to see her again one day soon and play catch with her and dad! I’ll love you forever, Paige!
-Zach (and Emily) Cook
“This is my blessing, do you hear me?” she said on the other end of the line. “My blessing.”
The best part about the last week was the phone call from my 7th grade teacher responding to my book dedicated in part to her.
Every early morning hour spent planning, writing, and illustrating “Eclectic Emily” was worth it just for that phone call alone. Talking to her felt like being touched by heaven just as it did sitting in her class as a twelve year old.
She is my blessing as have been so many others who have shared that the book means something to them in some way or that their child wants to read it again and again.
These moments don’t come along every day so I’ve been taking some time to soak them in.
Authors, teachers, and artists aren’t rich in the financial sense, but are infinitely wealthy in many unseen ways. I have chosen to live the life of all three so I’m thrice blessed to live benefitting from the joys of my work.
Who has influenced you in your life that you could reach out to today? Who could you not just tell that you love them but show them in a creative way.
You may never write and dedicate a book to them, but I know you could reach them in your own unique way.
People are hungry for kindness and connection as it’s becoming a commodity in our culture.
Shine bright today and look for someone to encourage.
There I sat signing books, my cheerleaders by my side. They are the ones who give me courage.
I thought back to all of the dreamer conversations that I had at the dinner table with my family growing up and how thinking outside the box was always encouraged.
I’ve also had many conversations with Zach over the years about my desire to write a book. He never wavered in his support of me pursing anything that would help me reach my goal. My kids always believed in me, too!
I thought about you, my readers, and that first post I made in May that got this ball rolling. I still can’t believe that setting a goal to write one blog post per week would open up the creative door for me to write, illustrate, and publish a book!
Today, is the day “Eclectic Emily” is released into the wider world. It’s one thing to write a book, but the harder part is getting it into the hands of those people who need to hear its message.
That’s where you come in.
If you like the book, please share it’s positive message on social media and encourage your friends to purchase it for someone in their life.
You can order your copy here at these fine retailers or you may get a signed book from me.
“Eclectic Emily” Children’s Book – Hard Cover Signed Copy
“Eclectic Emily” is a children’s book about a girl with big dreams, yet she has limitations. Her story is illustrated by events in her childhood that highlight the importance of a persevering spirit. The book celebrates the encouragers in her life who keep her moving forward on a creative path.
17.99 $
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